


Bad Losses

by EveryDayBella



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Cuddles, Dallas Stars, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sick Fic, idiot boys in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-24 06:02:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9706292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EveryDayBella/pseuds/EveryDayBella
Summary: Bad losses are crushing. It's what you do after them counts.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I blame my friend Ali for this, but I just had to after that Preds game. They were so crushed. So crushed. 
> 
> This is unbeta'd and super messy. All mistakes are mine.

You got used to loses. You had too otherwise you never got out and played again. But some losses, some losses you know you should have won and they stay with you, sunk into your skin and played on repeat until they drove you truly mad. 

 

Tyler made it through press availability on audiopilot. It was the same questions they had been asking since December at least. Why do you guys suck so much?

 

The answer was always the same. Because they were injured. Because they were lacking chemistry on the ice. Because they were young. Because they were missing chances. The list went on and on until it had turned into a simple, unavoidable fact. 

 

I don’t know. 

 

The bus ride back to the hotel was decidedly morose. There were things to celebrate. Sharpie finally had a goal again, Devon had once again proved that he was one of the best young talents in the league. Jamie had clocked one too. Three goals wasn’t bad, but goals weren’t the problem. The problem was everything else. So the boys sat in their seats, heads down, reliving the last thirty disastrous minutes of the game. 

 

Tyler found a seat in the back and hunkered in, trying to shake the feeling that everyone was looking at him. Normally that wouldn’t have bothered him. Tyler liked being the center of attention, but he had fucked this one up. He’d given up the puck and created for the Preds a scoring chance. His team would have been justified in blaming him. 

 

Tyler was certainly blaming himself enough for them. 

 

Up front he noted Jordie slip into the open seat next to his brother. Tyler had wanted to sit there, but hadn’t been sure he’d be welcomed. He’d sneak into Jamie’s room later and beg and plead forgiveness if he had too. In the meantime it was good he had Jordie. His brother would at least keep Jamie out of his head. 

 

Tyler trailed behind the other guys as they entered the hotel, even stayed a few steps behind so that he could get an elevator to himself. He didn’t want to face anyone. Not yet. 

 

Before he could get in something grabbed his elbow, pulling him sharply back. He found himself meeting Jordie’s tired, annoyed gaze. 

 

“Get up there and keep an eye on him.” Jordie jerked his thumb toward the elevator. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

 

“Why? What’s going on?”

 

“Jamie’s an idiot. That’s what's going on.” Jordie grumbled. “I’m gonna go see if this godforsaken town has any soup and go by the drug store. I’ll be back.”

 

Jordie was in a bad enough mood that Tyler didn’t try to stop him. Instead he rushed upstairs, not bothering to stop at his own and instead went straight to Jamie’s. He didn’t knock, they were long past the point of modesty and worry, they were practically living together in all but name. Inside only the table lamp was on and Jamie was curled up on the bed. There was a moment where Tyler hesitated, uncertain of his welcome. Then he figured Jamie would have already told him to get out if he wanted that. Instead Tyler sat on the bed next to him, propping himself up against the headboard. Jamie barely reacted. 

 

“You okay?” Tyler asked and got a shrug in return. “Yeah. I get that.”

 

“It’s the same stupid mistakes.” Jamie mummered. Tyler didn’t have an argument against that so he remained silent. “It’s my fault.”

 

“It's not your fault, Jamie. I was the one who blow the play.” It was a testament to what mood they were in that they didn’t snicker at the double entendre. “You had a goal and you kept us pointed the right direction. That’s not a bad job.”

 

“It's not a good enough job.” 

 

“We didn’t get them this time, and we might not get this season, but there’s always next season.” 

 

Jamie chuckled turning around to face Tyler. His eyes were red and puffy and his lips stretched into a thin grimace. “Haven’t you been with us long enough yet, Seggy? It's always next year.”

 

Tyler couldn’t argue with that either, but he also knew this was temporary. No one loved this team more than Jamie. No one believed in what they could do as much as he did either. He was tired and needlessly guilty at the moment, but after some sleep and hopefully a little time off next week, Jamie would be back. In the meantime Tyler would do the only thing he could think off. He slid down and wrapped his arms around Jamie. To his relief Jamie sank into his embrace, tangling their legs together, and laying his head on Tyler’s chest. 

 

What Tyler hadn’t been expecting was the overheated, clammy feeling of Jamie’s skin. “Holy shit. Are you sick?”

 

Jamie had the good grace to look sheepish, though he didn’t look regretful at all. “The fever’s new. I’ll be fine in the morning.”

 

“That’s why Jordie was so pissy. You mean to tell me that not only are you playing injured, but you were sick tonight too?”

 

“Maybe.” 

 

“You’re such an idiot.” 

 

“I couldn’t miss a game. We can’t afford it. Staal did it.”

 

“Staal’s an idiot.”

 

“You have terrible bedside manner.”

 

“Shut up.” Tyler chuckled. “You’re talking to the team doctors in the morning and then you can sleep on the plane. We need our captain at full health, not killing himself, got it?”

 

Jamie grumbled and agreed. It wasn’t long before he was asleep. Tyler pulled the covers up over both them. He really wished Cash and Marshall were with them, but he couldn’t have everything. They could sleep this mess off and they would still survive. At least at the end of the season he would still have Jamie. It was sappy as hell, but it was all he really needed. 

 

He was still awake half an hour later when Jordie wondered back in. The defenceman rolled his eyes as he popped a bottle of tylenol on the table.

 

“If you get sick with him I’m not taking care of you.”

 

Tyler snickered. He really should be nicer to Jordie, but then where was the fun in that. 

  
  
  
  



End file.
